Found Out
by Patchfire
Summary: Harry & Ron's relationship goes public; Ron gets the last laugh.


_My standard warning – this is slash , so don't read it if you don't like m/m relationships!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the world that is Harry Potter. If only I did..._  
  
  
So we were found out. Bound to happen, really. We did share a dorm with three other boys, and we did have an extremely observant and intelligent witch as a best friend. Really, it was strange we kept it a secret as long as we did. Three months! Three months before even Hermione realised. Then Seamus, Dean, and Neville realised that we only made up one bed between the two of us each morning. And then we kept it at a total of six, plus Sirius.  
  
Until that morning.  
  
Harry had another nightmare, and we were afraid to disturb the others while we talked it out, sent a message to Dumbledore, and wrote to Sirius. So we went to the common room. Eventually we started snogging, once we were done, and we fell asleep, tangled together. It had happened occasionally before, and we always woke up around dawn, and crept back up to our beds. The same thing happened that night, except we hadn't realised that we hadn't been the only ones roaming that night.  
  
I should explain that very few wizards have any prejudice against gays. Some Dark wizards, and people that will say Mudblood – that is, Slytherins. But other than that, it _is_ generally accepted. Still, we were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, which made us crave privacy more than most couples. Forgot to tell my brothers, though.  
  
They had, evidently, come down early, heading towards the dungeons to pull a prank, and seen us sleeping. George told me later that they thought we were cute, so they went into Colin Creevey's dorm and got his camera, finishing off the roll, knowing he would develop them within a few days.  
  
That morning, at breakfast, the barely veiled comments began.  
  
Ah, spring! The season of love, Fred began.  
  
Truly, dear twin, and our brother appears to be one of the blessed! George prattled on, both of them winking and giving me Significant Looks. Needless to say, though, I was still a bit confused.  
  
What about you, _Harry_? George queried. Is love going your way?  
  
Harry merely glared – there are advantages to being the Quidditch captain, he tells me – but I could see a dull red flush beginning to spread up his neck. Luckily Hermione came in then and that distracted my twin brothers.  
  
Later that day, Fred and George, along with Colin Creevey, were late to Quidditch practise. Harry had decided that having Colin be the Official Gryffindor Quidditch Team Photographer and appointing certain practises as photography days was better than having a constant shadow. I was Keeper now, and Harry and I enjoyed being on the team together. We both had a habit of taking, ah, long showers in the locker room after practise. But I digress. Those three were late, for then-unknown reasons. We found out later.  
  
That evening, George stood on a table in the Gryffindor common room. Attention everyone! Since Hogsmeade weekends are cancelled, we have decided to have a cutest couple contest! Colin and Denis will take pictures of each pair of entrants, either secretly or overtly, which means you can enter your friends without them knowing. Winners announced tomorrow night!  
  
I glanced at Harry, and we both seemed to feel a bit uneasy. We escaped shortly thereafter to our dorm; Harry giving Seamus the give us one hour' signal as we left. Big mistake, we found out later.  
  
As soon as we left, Seamus jumped up and ran to Fred. I have the _perfect_ couple to enter, and if you're VERY discreet, I bet you can get a very good shot RIGHT NOW. He paused, grinning evilly. Fifth year Boys' Dorm. Very cute.  
  
Fred and George grinned. So it _is_ true. We weren't sure, but... thanks. And Colin was dispatched to be extremely discreet. He was. We never heard or saw a thing.  
  
The next night, the twins gathered all of Gryffindor in the common room.  
  
In third place... Lee Jordan and Katie Bell! The pair flushed, then stood and bowed before kissing.  
  
In second place... Dean Thomas and Parvati Patil! Big surprise there, I thought, but then... wait. They should've been first. So who...  
  
Now, before we introduce our first-place couple, we should acknowledge that very few people are aware that these two even _are_ a couple. We, ah, stumbled upon in inadvertently, and decided that was a perfect opportunity to, ah, _out_ the cute little pair. _Especially_ considering who they are. Much thanks to Seamus for confirming our suspicions and telling us how to get a good picture.  
  
I blanched. Harry, didn't you signal Say last night?  
  
Yeah, why? Oh... SHIT!  
  
We paled as we turned to see Fred, George, and Seamus all laughing uncontrollably.  
  
George gasped. They've figured it out! The rest of the house was still looking wildly about, faintly bewildered. I groaned, and I saw Harry burying his face in his hands.  
  
Hermione was livid. How _could_ you? Your own brother! They do have a right to privacy you know!  
  
The grin slipped from Seamus' face. Oh, cripes, guys, I'm sorry, he said.  
  
Colin asked. Are we talking about two boys? Apparently Colin's photo equipment doesn't require him to look at what he's taking the photo of.  
  
The room was buzzing now, everyone talking loudly, everyone confused. I felt Harry's breath on my ear. Shall we, then? he asked, his voice rueful. I nodded slightly, turned towards him, and then...  
  
And then. We were kissing. Except kissing Harry is never just a kiss. There is so much more – friendship, memories, everything we've ever shared – all of that, plus intense passion, deep love. It's never just a kiss.  
  
I guess we went on for awhile, because the common room gradually quieted down. Harry and I finally broke apart, small grins on our faces, and looked at the rest of Gryffindor. Hermione was smiling, Fred and George were exultant, Ginny and Colin both looked shocked, and then...  
  
Congratulations to our first place winners! Harry and Ron! Fred and George cried out in unison. The room erupted – shouts, cheers, gasps. Every possible reaction that could be had happened somewhere in that room.   
  
After everything calmed down, my brothers did assure me that they would let *us* decide when to tell the rest of the school, and they threatened the rest of the House with Wheezes if they did not do likewise.  
  
  
Honestly, it wasn't so bad, being outed. Harry and I resented the loss of privacy somewhat, but it was nice to be able to put my arm around him in the common room, or kiss him lightly if one of us went somewhere without the other – which, admittedly, was very rare.   
  
Then, in Transfiguration, a few weeks later, Harry reached over the top of the desk and took my hand. I was shocked at first, then realised it was only Gryffindors and McGonagall in the room. McGonagall didn't know, but then again, I wouldn't have been surprised if she did. I smiled at Harry, and he returned it, and... well, let's just say neither of us remembers much about that particular lesson because we were too busy staring at each other.  
  
We got progessively bolder. It wasn't that we were adverse to coming out, directly, per se, but neither of us really wanted to announce our relationship to the school by snogging on top of the breakfast table. Actually, I sort of _did_ in a perverse sort of way, but Harry didn't, and he needs his privacy a bit more than I do.  
  
Finally, though, the ultimate test came. By now the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws in our year were fairly confident that Harry and I were together, and so most of their houses knew, and we got some friendly smiles and even an invite to a foursome (which we politely declined. I mean – Justin and Ernie? No, thank you.) It was a Sunday night when we talked about it.  
  
Harry was lying out on his bed, staring at the bedcurtains. We have Potions first thing in the morning, he remarked blandly.  
  
was my only response, as I was working feverishly on the Potions essay that was due the next day.  
  
I think we should do it, he said firmly.  
  
But we... we already have, I stammered, more than a little confused. And I can't right now, you know I have to bring my Potions mark up....  
  
Harry burst into laughter, and I was more than a little offended. My best friend and lover was laughing his head off at me. No, no, Ron, not that. I think we should act in Potions like we act in every other class.  
  
It took a minute before it dawned on me. Every other class? Ah, yes, we held hands and sat practically on top of each other in every other class. And now Harry wanted to... in Potions?!? Are you insane? If we really want to come out to the Slytherins, wouldn't Care of Magical Creatures be a better choice?  
  
Harry smiled. Yes, but this way, _we _ get to see Snape's disgusted face!  
  
I had to smile at that. Well... if you really want to... and I gave in. As I usually do. Harry's just too damn cute not to.  
  
He bounced on his bed like a puppy dog, smiling excitedly. And THEN we can actually, you know, do stuff at meals!  
  
I laughed. I still don't think Dumbledore would go for breakfast shagging, love.  
  
He mock-glared at me. You never know. He might if we let him watch.  
  
The conversation quickly disintegrated even further and Harry ended up slipping over to Hermione's room in the Invisibility Cloak to get her Potions essay so we could crib a bit and finish up ours. After all, schoolwork was supposed to come before shagging on our list of priorities. We still made time for both, though.  
  
  
The room fell silent when Harry and I walked in. The Gryffindors must've been waiting for this day, because their faces held a mixture of concern and relief. We weren't very hands-on at all, just our arms around each other's waists, but it was enough for Snape and his slimy Slytherins to get a clue. Most of the Slytherins were disgusted, and Snape began insulting us immediately. The reaction I'll never forget, though, was Malfoy's. He stared at me with – I couldn't believe it – _jealousy_. Once, just once, and the time when it mattered most, a Weasley got what a Malfoy wanted. What a Malfoy couldn't have, and would never get. I've never told Harry about Malfoy's look; it only shows up when it's just me, now; the rest of the time he insults us like the straightest guy in the world. But I know his secret, and, best of all, I own Harry's heart. And Malfoy can't stand it. The one thing his daddy can't buy for him, I've got.


End file.
